Industry News

If a region is attracting new manufacturing companies, what's the fastest way to help them launch their businesses? The answer from Danville, Virginia, is the 51,250-sq.-ft. Center for Manufacturing Advancement.

In Chicagoland, most owners of manufacturing companies are not only white but at the age of retirement and lacking succession plans. The owners' kids don't want to take over, or they don't have the skills to. The likeliest fate for these businesses is to be bought by private equity firms that fire the employees, sell off some assets and move on, meaning a huge loss of jobs and revenue in the region.

At a manufacturing organization, a hardware design engineer or a factory floor manufacturing engineer can wear the hat of a citizen data scientist. Optimizing a design process or improving throughput/yield on the factory floor could be his or her goal to bring more business value out of processes.

One of the biggest developments in the world of technology over the last few years has been that of digital twins. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical system, process or product. The technology essentially provides a real-time look at how a physical asset is performing.

Robb Hudson is named president and CEO of Aerodyn Engineering Inc. David Lawrence, executive chairman of the company, made the announcement, saying, “I have been observing Robb in the manufacturing community for some time, and we are delighted to have him on board with us. His professional and interpersonal skills, along with his practical knowledge of the complex parts manufacturing business, match the leadership qualities we need to support and achieve our growth objectives.”

Chinese factories make up a third of the "manufacturing lighthouses," or principal drivers for adopting new technology in the fourth Industrial Revolution, according to a list by the World Economic Forum and management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. These advances in smart manufacturing should be encouraging for China, but the country already is undermining them.

The following interview was conducted with Platinum Tooling’s President, Preben Hansen, at the company’s headquarters in Prospect Heights, Illinois. Hansen discusses the beginnings of Platinum Tooling, the transition period, changes, product lines and the future.

There’s a common misconception that the manufacturing industry is almost universally male-dominated. In many people’s minds, the industry is old fashioned, hanging on to dated gender biases and excluding women from managerial roles that are key to climbing the industry ladder, such as production supervisors and operations managers. But the fact is, manufacturers are more forward-thinking than ever before, and women now make up nearly one-third of the manufacturing industry workforce in the United States.

Wetmore Tool and Engineering of Chino, California, has been acquired by Dormer Pramet, the global manufacturer of cutting tool brands Precision Twist Drill, Dormer, Union Butterfield and Pramet.

Since moving to new facilities in 2014, Transor Filter has experienced rapid sales growth both domestically and internationally. With even more significant growth projected for 2019, Transor announces new hires and promotions.
The company has expanded the assembly staff and promoted Robert Coombs and Dan Esposito to the positions of assembly manager and supervisor, respectively. Luke Harvey has also assumed the position of logistics and purchasing manager.

The mobility concept for individual transportation will in the relatively near future be a combination of progressively downsized internal combustion engines and electric drives, say some, while others predict that electro-mobility will secure jobs or even create new ones. This, at least, is certain: traditional metalcutting machines are a long way from being ripe for the scrap heap – equipped with smart technologies, they will also play a prominent role at the EMO Hannover 2019.

Of all businesses, contract machining companies know what they want: Cincinnati-based firm Metalex Manufacturing Inc. already owns three Starrag machine tools, but after extensive benchmarking, the key customer has chosen to invest in a Droop+Rein T portal machining center from Starrag—its largest investment to date in every respect.

Chicago, IL – MC Machinery is pleased to announce that Jeff Grim has joined the sales team as a Southeast Regional Sales Manager.

Erie, PA—Eriez® President and CEO Tim Shuttleworth announces that Charlie Ingram has been promoted to the newly created position of Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, effective January 1, 2019.

Auburn, MA – PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P., a solution provider in motion control and positioning components and systems, announces Dave Rego is the new Vice President and General Manager of PI’s North American Operations.

Blairsville, Pa. — The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), along with America Makes, proudly congratulates NCDMM Board of Director Thomas R. Kurfess, Ph.D., FSME, P.E., on joining the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as its Chief Manufacturing Officer.

St. Louis, Missouri – Hartwig Inc. is proud to announce the promotion of Seth Machlus to Executive Vice President, Operations.

Minneapolis, MN – Industrial Tool, Inc., a specialist in robotic automation systems, workholding fixtures, turnkey applications, and custom machining centers names Patrick Hjelm as CEO and President.

ARCH, a Strength Capital Partners and Main Post Partners platform company that is focused on manufacturing precision cutting tools, precision machined industrial components and medical implants and instruments has acquired Competitive Carbide Inc. (“CCI”), Mentor, Ohio. CCI is a manufacturer of customized solid-carbide drills, endmills, reamers, indexable tools and custom inserts. Additionally, CCI manufactures PCD-tipped tools and inserts, which is a new product offering for the ARCH Cutting Tools segment.

FLORENCE, Ky. – Mazak distributor Magnum Precision Machines, serving Arizona, New Mexico, Southern Nevada, West Texas and parts of Northern Mexico, will host a special grand opening to celebrate its new, Arizona headquarters located in Phoenix.